Watching that, I was seized by a strange feeling.
'The 'present' Noelier would never do such a thing.'
Did something happen during the short time we were apart?
'Besides, it seemed like his body had fully recovered, so I wonder if his eyes have healed too?'
I looked up. I felt like I was going to die of embarrassment, but checking on his condition was my priority.
His cloudy, red eyes caught my eye. I quickly lowered my gaze. Then I raised my head again to look at him.
"...Are you feeling okay?"
He did not answer my question. He simply looked down at me intently.
"No."
“...No?”
I lowered my gaze to the area covered in wounds. The dark red blood on the clothes had been there for a long time. It was not fresh blood.
I thought it was okay.
Besides standing like this, he had also summoned his phoenix before.
'But to think it still hurts...'
I bit my lip.
Then, Noelier's eyes touched my lips, then came back up and looked into my eyes.
His eyes were still cloudy.
I cautiously reached out my hand. He didn't push my hand away.
My hand rested on the corner of his eye. I slowly stroked it, just as he had wiped away my tears.
"...How about your eyes? How are your eyes? Can you see well?"
Then he slowly blinked his eyes and answered.
“Blurred.”
The simple and clear answer weighed heavily on my mind.
"...Sorry."
I hesitated and then parted my lips.
"I'm sorry for holding onto you against your will... and for deceiving you."
It was nothing but words, but I hoped my feelings would be conveyed to him as much as possible.
"It's okay."
Then, unbelievable words came back.
"... What?"
I looked up at him with a surprised expression. His face was so indifferent.
"It means it's okay."
"..."
"Strangely, I don't dislike you. I mean..."
He swallowed his words. He moved his lips again and again, as if selecting the words swirling in his mouth.
It was a little while later that the voice came out of my lips.
"You said you would stay by my side until I fully recovered."
I bit my lip as I listened to the indifferent voice.
I wasn't the one who would hear this.
What should I say here?
I hesitated to answer.
I knew what his words meant.
He, who used to push my hand away at the slightest touch, hugged me, and he, who used to spout barbed words telling me to get lost, said that he didn't dislike me.
A behavior change meant a change in emotion.
I realized what feelings he had for me. Of course, Noelier himself didn't seem to have realized it yet, though.
But I was dragged here instead of Lully.
If Lily doesn't meet Noelier like this, and if the two of them end up not falling in love.
'...The past will get mixed up.'
Then, neither the future Noelier nor I knew what would happen right now.
'We have to put it back the way it was before it's too late.'
Before his feelings deepen even more. And... before my feelings deepen.
"..."
I chewed the flesh inside my mouth. The sensation was vivid. This place was not a dream.
Having made the decision, I smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. I told you. I said I'd help heal your wound."
It was a decision that left no choice but to deceive the man right in front of me.
"I'll stay by your side until you fully recover."
And until you meet the real Lily with a fully recovered body.
At my words, Noelier smiled faintly. It was the first time I had seen him smile.
***
Apples tumbled down right in front of her eyes. Eve blinked with a blank expression.
"Where did you get this?"
“In the forest.”
"...Did you bring this for me to eat?"
The red dragon nodded with an expressionless face.
"I was wondering where a kid with such poor eyesight was going..."
Eve looked at the pile of apples with bewildered eyes.
"...But that's strange. There definitely wasn't anything when I looked around."
No matter how far she walked, only ruins appeared. It felt like walking the same path she had already traveled.
As Eve tilted her head in confusion, the dragon answered with an indifferent expression.
"A bird came to visit."
“If it’s a bird...”
It was clear that they were talking about Lu.
Lu, being a phoenix, possessed strength strong enough to move a house. As a bird that flew high, it would have been even easier for him to find an apple.
"I see. Tell the bird thank you."
The dragon nodded at Eve's words.
Eve picked up the apple on top.
She fiddled with the glossy surface and took a big bite. The flesh filled her mouth.
As she was happily munching away, she felt a persistent gaze.
"...?"
For some reason, the dragon was staring intently at her.
Thanks to that, Eve stopped moving her mouth and just rolled her eyes.
...Why is he staring at me like that? I even thanked him.
Eve, who was looking for a reason, reached out her hand at a sudden thought.
She didn't know what the Noelier of the past was like, but the Noelier she remembered really liked having his head stroked.
He used to bow his head, asking for praise whenever he did a good deed.
Her hand landed on his head.
"Thank you."
Eve gently stroked his head.
"..."
The dragon blinked.
It was the first time someone had stroked his head.
However, the strange thing was that he didn't feel bad.
The dragon stared at her blankly. Worried that he might be offended, Eve hurriedly added.
"It's a greeting of thanks. Wolves greet their family or close friends like this. They do it like this when they praise someone, too."
"..."
“Really..."
Eve trailed off. The dragon thought as he listened to her voice.
'Do wolves like this kind of thing?'
He supposed she must have stroked the head of that guy she called her husband every single day like this.
As he thought about it, his stomach, which had been calm, started to twist again.
He wanted to burn to death that wolf who would receive this warm touch to his heart's content.
However, he couldn't reveal those feelings. It was clear that if he spoke ill of her husband, she would hate him.
The dragon, having struggled to suppress its surging killing intent, leaned its upper body forward.
Black hair filled Eve's vision.
It was as if it were asking to be petted more.
"...Are you okay?"
"..."
The dragon nodded silently. He could happily accept her touch.
He gently closed his eyes. He didn't seem to dislike it.
'...It's like a puppy.'
Eve stroked his head, ignoring her tickling fingers.
***
A few days passed like that.
Eve brought every medicinal herb she could find around her so that the dragon's body could heal. And the dragon gave Eve a large amount of apples in return.
Of course, Eve thought that all of this was brought by Lu.
For some reason, Lu seemed to think that she really liked fruit.
Eve wanted to tell him to bring some meat next time, but Lu did not show up. Because of this, Eve had to quietly eat only apples.
"Now, let's blink."
Eve, who had settled down in front of the dragon, waved her hand.
"...It wouldn't do any good to look at it."
"Still, I have to watch it. Here, hurry up."
Eve urged him repeatedly. The dragon, who had been strangely reluctant, slowly blinked its eyes.
The dragon no longer spoke harshly. It obediently followed whatever Eve said.
His eyes were still cloudy, but even that appearance was simply beautiful.
'But why won't his eyes get better?'
His body seemed to be getting better, but his eyes remained the same. He said everything looked hazy, as if covered in fog.
'As expected, these herbs aren't enough.'
All the effective medicinal herbs were in the north.
Eve held her breath as she thought that far.
...Perhaps this could have been an opportunity.
She meant the chance to go back north, get some herbs, and then swap herself with the real Lily.
'Furthermore...'
Eve put her hand in her pocket. The ring Rachel had given her rolled softly in her hand.
Before coming here, Rachel had said this to Eve.
“Please find me!”
She shouted desperately, her face looking as if he were about to cry. There must surely be some connection to her having been given this ring.
Eve retold her memory.
She clearly tried to enter Noel's memories with Aria.
'But I ended up stranded in the North all alone.'
Maybe... wasn't it because of this ring?
Eve stopped fiddling with the ring.
If the reason she fell to the North is really because of the ring Rachel gave jer.
'Rachel is in the north.'
The current Rachel sent her to where her past self was.
It was clear that she had an answer.
Eve looked up. The dragon had its eyes closed quietly, just as she had instructed.
Eve looked at the closed-eyed face and pulled her lips away.
“You know.”
"Why."
"...The herbs here don't seem very good."
At Eve's words, the dragon slowly opened its eyes.
The cloudy red eyes sank into darkness.
"So?"
The voice asking for the rest was strangely sharp. Eve answered as if nothing were wrong.
"So I'm thinking of getting some other herbs... With just that, your eyes will get better. They're really good herbs."
"Where."
“...In the North.”
“No need.”
The dragon cut her off in a cold voice. Eve hurriedly continued.
"You're uncomfortable too. You'll get better if you just get that herb. Trust me."
"I told you I don't need it. It doesn't matter if my eyes don't get better. Just stay by my side."
"But...!"
Just as she was about to add something, the conversation cut off abruptly.
It was because his face was clouded with such sadness.
"You want to go back to the North."
"...No."
She spoke in a firm voice. However, Noelier let out a snicker.
As expected, it was a useless endeavor.
This woman will return to the North no matter what happens.
The way you showed me was nothing more and nothing less than pity. He bit his lip.
That bastard you never forgot, not even in your dreams, abandoned you.
The words lingered in his mouth.
But he couldn't say it.
It was obvious that she would shed tears if the truth were revealed.
Although he had never properly seen her face, the mere thought of her face blurring with tears was painful, as if his heart were being squeezed tightly.
How can I catch her?
Even if it falls, what is the way to bring it back into my arms?
A good idea came to him.
"...If what you say is true."
The dragon, having calmed the soaring heat, opened its mouth.
“Take this.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her.
Her hand landed on his firm chest.
Thump, thump, she could feel his heart beating wildly on her palm.
No way.
Eve looked at him with trembling eyes.
He spoke in a low, subdued voice, as if chewing.
"Take my heart so I can find you wherever you are."
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